The Plan

On March 31st 2016 we finally submitted a 3 year plan to the Local Trust for their approval. It has been a long time coming and in order to do this we have been working hard to research, collate and take into account the thoughts, feelings and wishes of the local people.

We were really pleased to hear that the Local Trust were very impressed with our plan and thought it was ambitious and innovative. Below is part of the executive summary for you read more. Beyond that you can find a downloadable version of the Executive Summary and the Full Plan.

The Plan: Executive Summary

Our Mission

Let’s Make St James Street the Best It Can Be

The St James Street area of Walthamstow is an amazing and unique place. We have a close-knit community, diverse shopping opportunities, beautiful buildings, excellent access to green spaces and wonderful transport connections. But together we can make it even better. Right now, too many people struggle to afford to live here or run a businesses in the area. People worry about the safety and wellbeing of themselves and their loved ones. Our local charities struggle to get by. The streets don’t reflect the full potential the area has to offer. And our close-knit community doesn’t come together to celebrate the area the way it should.

Now, we as local residents have been given a chance to make real and lasting change. The St James Street area was fortunate enough to receive £1 million in funding as part of the Big Local programme to spend over the next ten years, to enable residents and businesses to shape their community for the future. This plan represents the start of that journey — a rare opportunity for locals to directly improve the area in which they live.

What We’ve Done So Far

Over the last three years, the community has provided its thoughts on what should change. In a plan we’ve created based on resident wishes, those opinions, needs and desires are developed into four core themes — people, places, businesses and charities — on which the £1 million will be spent. Along the way, our neighbourhood will change for the better. We’ll see our community become more able to identify local needs and take action; residents acquire confidence and skills; our collective priorities turned into real initiatives.

Some of the community’s desires are ambitious. The plan describes how they will be put into motion over the coming years, allowing us to create a more cohesive community, renovated public space, thriving local businesses and successful charities. It will create a St James Street that we can continue to improve for years to come. Of course, now comes the hard part, because we all, as a community, have to do it. So if you’re interested in helping out, get in touch — and together we’ll ensure St James Street reaches its full potential and becomes a better place in which to live.